This week in our Matthew Bible study, I was impressed by the interactions between the Lord Jesus and Peter. Specifically in verse 22, when Jesus had begun to explain to the disciples that He was going to suffer these things and be killed and resurrected on the third day, Peter, in his good-heartedness and affection toward the Lord, said, “God be merciful to You, Lord! This shall by no means happen to You!” But then, the Lord had a very strong reaction, saying, “Peter, Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men” (v. 23). I was very struck by this because I feel that often, I’m like Peter, even thinking that I know better than the Lord what’s best for me or the ones around me. But I realized that in questioning God’s plan, I am actually setting my mind on the things of men, or thinking solely according to my own concepts of good and bad. I appreciated that we can set our mind on the things of God and realize that His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9)!
